Q. 2. What are the oral manifestations of hypovitaminosis?
Or
Discuss the oral manifestations of avitaminosis.
Ans.
• Vitamins are essential for growth and normal body functions and deficiency of vitamins causes various clinical manifestations as follows:
• Cardiac beriberi—high output cardiac failure
• Wernicke’s encephalopathy—confusion, nystagmus, ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and polyneuropathy
• Megaloblastic anaemia, peripheral neuropathy, subacute degeneration of spinal cord and megaloblastic madness
Q. 3. Describe in detail about rickets.
Ans. Vitamin D deficiency—rickets occurs generally in growing children.
Clinical features
• In first 6 months of life tetany and convulsions are common, these manifestations are due to hypocalcaemia.
• The wrist and ankles are swollen and the changes in bone are found in epiphyseal plates, metaphysis and shaft.
• Localized area of thinning are sometime present in skull so that a finger can produce indentation. This condition is called as craniotabes.
• Developmental abnormalities of dentine, hypoplasia of enamel and delayed eruption.
Treatment
• Dietary enrichment of vitamin D in form of milk.
• If tetany is present give IV calcium gluconate. Daily dose is 1000–2000 IU of vitamin D combined with 500–1000 mg of calcium.
• Curative treatment includes 2000–4000 IU of calcium daily for 6–12 weeks followed by daily maintenance dose of 2000–4000 IU for long period.
Q. 4. Scurvy.
Ans.
i. Scurvy is caused due to deficiency of vitamin C, which results in defective collagen formation in connective tissue.
• Swollen spongy gums–scurvy buds
• Petechial haemorrhages, ecchymoses, epistaxis and GI bleeding
• Nail beds: splinter haemorrhages
Q. 5. Dental considerations in asthmatic patients.
Ans.